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Have a menopause question? You’ll find the answers here. Join me, GP and Menopause Specialist Dr Louise Newson, for the definitive perimenopause and menopause podcast. Each week I’m joined by a special guest for the lowdown on the latest research and treatments, bust myths and share inspirational stories. This podcast is brought to you by the Newson Health Group, which has clinics across the UK dedicated to providing personalised perimenopause and menopause care for all women. It funds cutting-edge menopause research and creates clinical-led education programmes for healthcare professionals. It also funds the award-winning balance menopause support app, which provides free menopause resources and support to millions of people worldwide, empowering and enabling women to have choice and control over their perimenopause and menopause treatment.
Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
In this week’s podcast Dr Louise is joined by Dr Mary Claire Haver, an obstetrics and gynaecology doctor and a menopause specialist in the US. Dr Louise and Dr Mary Claire discuss the challenges of ensuring all women have access to evidence-based information and treatment, and their hopes for change.
Dr Mary Claire shares her three tips to help menopausal women improve their health:
- Really focus on your nutrition. Make sure you're getting adequate fibre in your diet every day. Fibre-rich goods are good for you gut microbiome, help you stay full for longer, and are good sources of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
- Limit added sugars – those that are added in cooking and processing - to less than 25g per day. Women who do that consistently have less visceral fat. Visceral fat is tied to increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.
- Don't just focus on cardio for your movement. You really need to keep your muscles strong so at least two days a week pick up some weights. Multiple studies in menopausal women show much better outcomes for osteoporosis with resistance training.
You can follow Dr Mary Claire on Instagram at @drmaryclaire
Click here to find out more about Newson Health
Pre-order the revised and updated paperback edition of Dr Louise’s Sunday Times bestseller The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause here
References to studies discussed in this week's episode
J Gen Intern Med 2006; 21:363–6
J Gen Intern Med 2004;19:791–804
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
The Dr Louise Newson Podcast is celebrating two huge milestones this week: not only is the podcast five years old, we’ve hit six million downloads since Dr Louise started her podcast back in March 2019!
Making a welcome return to the podcast this week is world-renowned neuroscientist Dr Lisa Mosconi, PhD. Her new book, The Menopause Brain is released on 21 March and in it Dr Lisa shares some of the fascinating changes that occur to the brain during menopause.
In this episode, Dr Lisa explains how our understanding of the importance of hormones’ role in the brain is relatively new – man was walking on the moon almost 30 years before scientists realised that the hormones that play an important part in ovarian function also have a fundamental role in the brain.
She explains that she wrote her book to empower women with the information they need to navigate the menopause – by understanding why your brain might feel foggy and the science behind it, she hopes to reassure and enlighten.
You can follow Dr Lisa Mosconi on Instagram @dr_mosconi
Click here to find out more about Newson Health
Tuesday Mar 12, 2024
247 - Addiction and menopause
Tuesday Mar 12, 2024
Tuesday Mar 12, 2024
Joining Dr Louise on this week’s podcast is Alex Newman, a substance misuse therapist with a special interest in the menopause.
Alex’s passion is supporting women who are self-medicating menopausal symptoms with alcohol and drugs – a recent survey by Newson Health of nearly 1,200 women found some were spending nearly £3,000 a year on alcohol and over-the-counter medication in a bid to cope with menopause-related symptoms.
The pair discuss the relationship between substance misuse and menopause, and crucially, strategies on how to get help for yourself or a loved one.
Follow Alex on Instagram @alexnewmantherapy or email alexnewman.therapy@gmail.com.
Click here to find out more about Newson Health
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
246 - Postnatal depression, PMDD and menopause: Wendy’s hormone journey
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Content advisory: this episode contains themes of suicide and self-harm
Joining Dr Louise on this week’s podcast is Wendy Barker. Wendy experienced postnatal depression after the birth of her first child in the late 80s and was later diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a very severe form of premenstrual syndrome.
‘For probably three weeks of the month, I was like a coiled spring,’ Wendy recalls.
‘And the only way that I would get anything sort of relief from that would be to either rage, scream, shout, and then there'd be the tears. And then I would think that's it until it starts all over again.’
Wendy movingly describes the impact of PMDD on her physical and mental health and her relationship with her family, her fight for a diagnosis and ongoing access to treatment, plus her advice for others in similar situations.
You can find more information about PMDD in Dr Louise’s book, the Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause. And you can listen back to episode 216 of the podcast with Dr Hannah Ward on progesterone, PMDD, postnatal depression and menopause.
Click here for more information on Newson Health.
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
245 - How medicine has failed women, with author Elinor Cleghorn
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
This week Dr Louise is joined by feminist cultural historian Dr Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women, which unpacks the roots of the misunderstanding, mystification and misdiagnosis of women’s bodies, illness and pain. From the ‘wandering womb’ of ancient Greece to today’s shifting understanding of hormones, menstruation and menopause, Unwell Women is the story of women who have suffered, challenged and rewritten medical misogyny.
Elinor tells Dr Louise how the book draws on her own experience of being dismissed by doctors for years before finally being diagnosed with systemic lupus, an autoimmune condition which is nine times more prevalent among women than men.
In the episode, Dr Louise and Elinor discuss how women’s health, including menopause, has been viewed through the ages, and the misconceptions that need to be consigned to the history books once and for all.
Follow Dr Elinor on Instagram @elinorcleghorn
Click here to find out more about Newson Health
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
244 - Hot flush drug fezolinetant
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
On this week’s podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Ashley Winter, a urologist and sexual medicine specialist, and Dr Sarah Glynne, a GP and menopause specialist who is a member of the research team at Newson Health and chairs a working party that promotes access to evidence-based menopause care for patients with breast cancer.
They discuss Fezolinetant – brand name Veoza – a new drug recently approved in the UK and other countries to treat moderate to severe hot flushes in menopausal women aged 45 to 60 years.
You can read an article about fezolinetant on the balance website here.
Related articles
Lederman S., Ottery F.D., Cano A., Santoro N., Shapiro M., Stute P., et al. (2023) 'Fezolinetant for treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause (SKYLIGHT 1): a phase 3 randomised controlled study', Lancet, 401(10382):1091-102. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00085-5
Johnson K.A., Martin N., Nappi R.E., Neal-Perry G., Shapiro M., Stute P., et al. (2023), 'Efficacy and safety of fezolinetant in moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause: a Phase 3 RCT', J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 108(8):1981-97. Doi:10.1210/clinem/dgad058
Douxfils J., Beaudart C., Dogne J.M. (2023), 'Risk of neoplasm with the neurokinin 3 receptor antagonist fezolinetant', Lancet, 402(10413):1623-5. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01634-3
Follow Dr Ashley Winter on X and Instagram @ashleygwinter
Follow Dr Sarah Glynne on Instagram @sarahglynne
Click here to find out more about Newson Health
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
243 - Contraception during perimenopause: HRT, the pill and the Mirena coil
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
In this episode, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Clair Crockett, a GP and menopause specialist at Newson Health. Dr Clair has completed diplomas in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Sexual and Reproductive Health, and fits coils and implants.
Here, she discusses some of the challenges for perimenopausal and menopausal women when it comes to contraception, and the importance of individualisation. She gives an insight into the hormones used in the contraceptive pill and HRT and shares how the Mirena coil can be transformative for some women.
Finally, Dr Clair suggests three things to consider about contraception:
- Spend some time gathering information, talking to other women about their experiences with contraception and considering what your priorities are. Your healthcare professional can also help you make your decision.
- Remember that side effects of contraception are quite unusual but that if something doesn’t work for you, you can change your mind. It’s OK to take time to find the best contraception for you.
- Some forms of contraception may mask perimenopausal symptoms so if you’re not sure if this is happening to you, track your symptoms and how you are feeling so you can get guidance from your healthcare professional.
Click here to find out more about coil fitting services at Newson Health
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
242 - Sex, hormones and the menopause
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, this week’s podcast looks at how menopause can affect sex and intimacy.
Joining Dr Louise is US-based Dr Kelly Casperson, urologic surgeon, author, and sex educator with expertise in hormones and pelvic health, whose passion is empowering women to embrace their best love lives.
They talk about how genitourinary symptoms, such as recurrent UTIs, can impact sex, why communication is crucial and the importance of education in helping women make informed decisions about their treatment and health.
Follow Dr Kelly on Instagram @kellycaspersonmd and listen to her podcast here
Click here to find out more about Newson Health
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
241 - Women, ADHD and hormones
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Advisory: this podcast includes themes of mental health and suicide.
Do you find yourself easily distracted, with your attention rapidly shifting between different things?
If so, you could be one of the legion of women who are under-diagnosed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Here, Australia-based psychiatrist and ADHD expert Dr David Chapman joins Dr Louise to discuss what ADHD is, how it affects women and the impact that female hormones – which have a powerful role in the brain – can have on symptoms.
He talks about how ADHD symptoms can worsen for women just before their periods and around their perimenopause, and sets out the common treatment options, including increasingly the role of HRT and the Pill, and how lifestyle changes such as mindfulness can help women affected by ADHD.
Dr Louise and Dr David also discuss how symptoms may only need treating if they are having an impact on a women’s life.
Download balance’s ADHD and menopause booklet here.
Click here for more about Newson Health.
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
240 - Creating long-lasting food habits for better health
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
On this week’s podcast Dr Louise is joined by Dr Rupy Aujla, founder of The Doctor’s Kitchen, which aims to inspire and educate about the joy of food and the medicinal effects of eating well.
Dr Rupy shares his thoughts on how to best enjoy a healthy and fulfilling diet and looks at some of the challenges food can bring during the perimenopause and menopause, but also how it can be a time to rethink and set new nutrition habits.
While the new year is often a time to set goals or resolutions, Dr Rupy believes that consistency is the key to success and it can come through small steps, such as simply adding on vegetable to every single meal.
Finally, Dr Rupy shares his three top tips for healthy eating:
- Master one meal that you’re proud of and make it a solid base to then adapt, add twists with different vegetables, flavour bases, herbs, etc.
- If you have a child who doesn't like a particular ingredient, don't force it because that will introduce animosity towards that ingredient. When they're older, they may have developed different taste buds that allow them to appreciate it better.
- Aim for 90/10 because you probably will get to 80/20. And if you do have a cheeky take out, indulge, allow yourself to indulge without any guilt, particularly as it pertains to food, and then make yourself a pact to get back on it the following day.
Follow Dr Rupy on socials @doctors_kitchen
Click here for more on Newson Health